Parking blocks

[russ bethel]

I use wood blocks under the rear swing arm casting when parking the GMC for
more than a few hours. That keeps the coach level and takes the weight off
the air bags and tires. In that situation the rear parking brake is not
effective but the blocking keeps the coach from moving in any direction. I
also put chocks at the front tires as they still have weight on them.

Russ Bethel
rbethel

 

[bartz paul]

Russ:

Are you saying you either jack up/raise, lower and then raise/lower and
then raise your coach to get the blocks under the center casting?

Paul Bartz

> From: Russ Bethel [SMTP:rbethel]
> Sent: Thursday, July 09, 1998 5:14 PM
> Subject: GMC: Parking blocks
>
> I use wood blocks under the rear swing arm casting when parking the
> GMC for
> more than a few hours. That keeps the coach level and takes the
> weight off
> the air bags and tires. In that situation the rear parking brake is
> not
> effective but the blocking keeps the coach from moving in any
> direction. I
> also put chocks at the front tires as they still have weight on them.
>
> Russ Bethel
> rbethel
>

 

[russ bethel]

I leveled the coach in my driveway using the air valves. I then measured
the distance between the castings and the pavement and cut wood blocks to
that dimension. Whenever I park in the driveway I put the blocks under the
casting and then lower the coach to them. I then let all the air out of the
air bags, allowing the blocks to support the full weight of the coach. If I
am at another location I level the coach (right to left) and position the
rear to near level. I then stack up wood blocking until it is almost
touching the castings. I then let the air out of the bags to put the full
weight of the coach on the blocks. If I have to raise the rear of the coach
to level it I use a 6 ton bottle jack under each casting and jack them up
until I am level. I then let all the air out of the air bags. It is a
little work but the coach is rock solid when shored up that way. If I am
only going to be parked for overnight and am going to travel on the next
morning I don't put the shoring under the coach. If I am going to be parked
for a full day or more I put the shoring under the coach.

Russ Bethel
rbethel

 

[thomas g. warner]

Has everyone taken into consideration the $4000 cost of the generator and
repairs to it?

>Is is really necessary to put blocks under the rear to let pressure off the
>bags. I have used mine for just a couple of years and have heard both sides
>of the story. If they were built to have the bags why not just use them? If
>we are so afraid they will go bad, why not replace the bags every year or so.?
>My expert - Osborn in Albuquerque says leave them alone. Pump them up, let
>them down, and don't worry about taking pressure off the wheels. He has had a
>GMC since new and repairs l the time and he feels that they were built to last
>so don't worry. Now what do you experts say?
>Thanks
>
>By the way, on the issue of running the generator vs the dash air, I am
>curious and intrigued by the notion of just running the gen set to cool the
>coach. Don't know if it is cheaper, but the analysis provided sure does make
>one wonder. Thanks for the info. On one of the next trips I plan on trying
>it out and seeing if it makes that much of a difference on the mileage.
>Regards
>Al Chernoff
>
>

 

[jrbiava]

yes, I sent out a word problem and solution about two weeks ago..only used
$8k for cost of gen.set.= basically breaks even at 1500hrs use and a lot
cooler! Maybe I'm too confusing?
jrbiava
yoogeebear
jrbiava

- -----Original Message-----
From: Thomas G. Warner
To: gmcmotorhome
Date: Saturday, July 11, 1998 5:28 AM
Subject: Re: GMC: Re: Parking blocks

>Has everyone taken into consideration the $4000 cost of the generator and
>repairs to it?
>

>>Is is really necessary to put blocks under the rear to let pressure off
the
>>bags. I have used mine for just a couple of years and have heard both
sides
>>of the story. If they were built to have the bags why not just use them?
If
>>we are so afraid they will go bad, why not replace the bags every year or
so.?
>>My expert - Osborn in Albuquerque says leave them alone. Pump them up,
let
>>them down, and don't worry about taking pressure off the wheels. He has
had a
>>GMC since new and repairs l the time and he feels that they were built to
last
>>so don't worry. Now what do you experts say?
>>Thanks
>>
>>By the way, on the issue of running the generator vs the dash air, I am
>>curious and intrigued by the notion of just running the gen set to cool
the
>>coach. Don't know if it is cheaper, but the analysis provided sure does
make
>>one wonder. Thanks for the info. On one of the next trips I plan on
trying
>>it out and seeing if it makes that much of a difference on the mileage.
>>Regards
>>Al Chernoff
>>
>>
>